Bartók Béla, ifj.: Chronicles of Béla Bartók's Life (Budapest, 2021)
Great Concert Tours on Two Continents (1922–1931)
1925 CHRONICLES OF BÉLA BARTOK'S LIFE 12 March - He travels to Rome where at Hall Sgambati he participates in the concert of the Society of New Music (Corporazione delle nouve Musiche). He plays Suite, Allegro barbaro, and 2 of his Burlesques, accompanies six Hungarian folk songs sung by Gitta Lénárt, and performs Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 with violinist Remo Chiti. Also participating in the concert is Alfredo Casella. - He sends his son Béla a postcard depicting the Forum romanum: “This much remains of the old glory, a couple of tumble-down columns and heaps of stones”. 13 March - He gives his next concert in the afternoon at Hall Martucci of the Conservatoire Saint Peter of Maiella in Naples, with the Milan programme of 10 March, adding Allegro barbaro and Liszts Variations Weinen, Klagen. - He leaves in the evening by boat. 14 March - He arrives in Palermo. He lets her mother know of his great Naples success on a postcard. - He plays at the Bellini Theatre in the afternoon. This time Debussy’s Pour le piano, Kodály ’s Epitaph and Piano Music, Bartok’s Elegy No. 1, 3 Burlesques, Sonatina, Hungarian Folk Dances, Dirge No. 1, Bear Dance, Evening in Transylvania, Allegro barbaro, Suite, Rumanian Folk Dances and Rumanian Dance No. 1 make up his programme. 15 March - He writes a postcard to his sister from Palermo. 16 March - In Naples he visits Egisto Tango’s father. He writes a picture postcard to his mother in Pozsony, mentioning among other things that he would leave for home the next evening. 17 March - From Naples he writes a postcard to János Bu§i|ia in Belényes: “In Italy ... it’s worthwhile and a joy to give concerts”; to his sister in Szöllős Puszta: “ In Naples and Palermo they want to hear me again next year” (that didn’t come true in the end). He also writes his son Béla in Budapest. 20 March - He arrives home in Budapest. 21 March - Concert at the Music Academy with a somewhat new programme. Following Liszt’s Variations Weinen, Klagen and 240
